Shaft-tug.



Patented July 3, 1900.

J. OCDNNELL.

S H A F T T U G (Application filed Mar. 81, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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NI-TED STATES FFIQEe JAMES OCONNELL, OF MOUNT STERLING, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO THOMAS HEINRICH, OF SAME PLACE.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letterslatent No. 653,036, dated July 3, 1900.

Application filed March 31, 1900- Serial No. 10,935. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs OCONNELL, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of- Mount Sterling, in the county of Montgomery and State of Kentucky, have invented a new convenient attachment to any style of harness and adapted to allow an easy, quick, and simultaneous hitching of both shafts to the tugs.

The inventionconsists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the im provement. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the same, and Fig. 4 is a sectional front view of the same on the line 4 4 in Fig. 2.

The improved shaft-tug is provided with a shank A, made of a piece of flat metal and formed at its upper end with an eye A for re-- ceiving a buckle B for attaching the device to a strap of the harness in the usual manner. The lower end of the shank A terminates in an oval bearing A the front member being.

extended upward, as at A and curved to the front at the top edge to permit an easy introduction of the shaft into'the bearing A On the back of the bearing A near the lower end thereof, is arranged a guide C for the belly-band or other strap of the harness. tongue D is hung at its upper end on a pivot E, carried by lugs A, attached to or formed on thefront face of the shank A at the upper end thereof, and the lower end of said tongue D extends to the beginning of the bearing A and is provided at its lower end with a crosspiece D, adapted to extend from the front member A of the bearing through the back thereof to close the bearing after the shaft is inposition and prevent the shaft from accidentally leaving the bearing. The under side of the cross-piece D is preferably recessed to receive a lining D of leather or other material, to prevent marring of the shaft, and the bottom of the bearing A may likewise be covered, if desired.

A spring F, secured to the upper end of the tongue D,presses with its free end against the front face of the shank A, so as to hold the spring-tongue D normally in an outermost position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the lower .end of the tongue abutting against a lug A? on the inside of the member A the rear end 'of the cross-piece D extending through a slot A in the back member of the bearing and the extreme outer rear end of said cross-piece carryinga pin D ,engaging athe under sides of lugs A formed or secured on the back of the shank A.

Now it will be seen that the lugs A and A form abutments for the tongue D and the cross-piece D, so that any upward pressure on the shaft against the cross-piece is taken up by said lugs, and consequently the pivotpin E is relieved of undue strain, and the tongue D is not liable to accidentally open when the shaft exerts the upward pressure mentioned. The lugs A are slightlybeveled, as at A to permit the pin D to slide along the bevel A and snap under the curved bottoms of the lugs A it being understood that the resiliency of the cross-piece Dpermits such movement.

The shaft-tug described is very simple and durable in construction, can be cheaplymanufactured, is not liable to get out of order, and permits a readyinsertion of the shaft by hearing with the shaft 011 the tongue D, so that the latter swings rearward against the tension of its spring F until the shaft has entered the bearing A and moved out of engagement with the tongue, so that the latter swings forward into a closing position by the 5 action of its spring F. lThus 'the operator need not handle the tugin any waywhatever in order to engage the shaftwith the' tug.

The cross-piece D of thetongue D is curved upwardly to give sufficient room forthe'shaft to play in and to allow an easy disconnection of the tug from the' shaft in unhitching.

This is done in the ordinary manner by loosening the traces and unbuckling the bellyband and then walking the animal but of the shafts, the closed bearing then sliding along and ofi the shaft. By having the opening in the closed bearing approximately oval or elongated vertically the shafts disengage readily from the bearing without the tug hanging back or dragging, as is so frequently the case in tugs heretofore constructed. It is not absolutely necessary, however, to unbuckle the belly-band for the purpose mentioned.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A shaft-tug, comprising a shank having a shaft-bearing on its lower end, a springpressed tongue pivoted on the shank and having a cross-piece extending from one member of the bearing to and through the other, and means carried by the members of the bearing for engaging the tongue at the cross-piece and holding the tongue against upward movement when pressure is exerted thereupon by the shaft, and to relieve the pivot of the tongue of undue strain,substan tially as shown and described.

2. A shaft-tug, comprising a shank having an approximately-oval shaft-bearing, lugs on the back of the shank on opposite sides of an opening in the rear member of the bearing, and a spring-pressed tongue pivoted on the upper end of the shank, and formed at its lower end with a cross-piece extending from one member of the bearing through said opening, to engage with its rear, free end the said lugs, as set forth.

3. Ashaft-tug, comprising a shank having an approximately-oval shaft-bearing, lugs on the back of the shank on opposite sides of an opening in the rear memberof the bearing, a spring-pressed tongue pivoted on the upper end of the shank, and formed at its lower end with a cross-piece extending from one member of the bearing through said opening, to engage with its rear, free end the said lugs, and a lug on the front member of the hearing for engaging the forward, lower end of said tongue, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES OCONNELL.

\Vitnesses:

J. H. W001), I. C. FIZER. 

